Three massive highway construction projects impacting what are likely the three busiest roadways in South Jersey could all be under construction at the same time in 2027 (for several years), with much of that work focused around the core 42Freeway coverage area!
Of course, the first is the ongoing I-295 Direct Connection project in Bellmawr, where crews are getting very close to completing all of the major steel girder installations for the three new flyover roadways.
YOUTUBE video at bottom of the article
The second is the $400 million Atlantic City Expressway widening project, which recently celebrated its groundbreaking. While the core widening effort is expected to start in 2027, construction crews have already started improvements to the Route 42 northbound exit at Sicklerville Road.
And the third is the New Jersey Turnpike’s approximately $2 billion widening project, which will add a third lane in each direction between Exits 1 and 4 and includes a reconfiguration of Exit 3 in Bellmawr which impacts several businesses.
While the Turnpike project was previously described as starting in 2026, I haven’t seen an official groundbreaking announcement. That being said, plans for a complete reconfiguration of Exit 3 in Bellmawr are already available online, and over the weekend news broke that two of the three motels seemingly impacted by the new design have announced they are closing, with residents being told to relocate by November 15.
So for this November 8 video update, I’m bringing all three projects together!
The primary focus remains on the Direct Connection construction, but I’ve also included recent footage and commentary on the Sicklerville Road exit improvements and the significant changes planned for New Jersey Turnpike Exit 3.
The video is linked at the bottom of this article.
Direct Connection – November 8, 2026
The massive Direct Connection project in Bellmawr, New Jersey, continues making progress toward its goal of straightening out the I-295 roadway through the interchange with Routes 42 and 76, allowing traffic to safely travel at highway speeds.
The core of the project focus now involves three new elevated flyover roadways that will carry traffic above the existing spaghetti bowl of highways and ramps.
In the weeks since my last video update, crews have installed the six longest steel girders for the I-295 southbound flyover, which crosses over the Browning Road overpass.
These were some of the most significant remaining steel pieces to be installed, and it’s exciting to see them all in place!
Just one smaller section remains (I-295 South) to complete the core steel girder installation for the flyovers.
That final section requires six girder pieces, and as of Sunday morning, November 8, two of those pieces had already been installed.
If the weather cooperates, it seems very possible that the remaining pieces could be installed this week.
One interesting aspect of the steel girder design is how the installation teams have been assembling the longer sections.
As you can see in my photos and video, each section is made up of three elements. Two shorter mounting pieces are installed at either end, connecting to the horizontal support beams, while the much larger steel girder is positioned in the middle.
I would imagine this approach makes the installation process easier for the crews, particularly when positioning these massive steel components high above the existing roadways.
Concrete Roadways and Noise Barriers
Over at the Route 42 northbound to I-295 northbound flyover, the concrete roadway surface appears to be fully completed.
And there was a bit of a surprise here!
Construction crews have already started installing the noise barrier walls along the elevated roadway, with a section of the tall vertical support posts now in place.
For the I-295 northbound flyover, crews have moved further into the concrete roadway work.
The green reinforcing steel has been installed across the roadway, and it appears the concrete is being poured in individual sections rather than completing the entire roadway at once.
One large section in the middle of the flyover has already received its concrete surface.
Another area worth mentioning is the rebuilt retaining wall that experienced the significant failure back in 2022.
We haven’t talked much about this portion of the project recently, but crews have now installed new asphalt along the outer lane closest to the wall, directly above the area that required the major reconstruction.
It’s another visible sign of progress as the project moves toward completing the current construction phase.
Direct Connection Contract 4
Looking ahead, Contract 4 is the final major construction contract for the Direct Connection project, and it is currently out to bid.
I have a few questions submitted to NJDOT regarding the next phase of construction, and I’m hoping to have more information to share later this week.
Depending on the details provided, that could become a separate article, video update, or possibly both.
Atlantic City Expressway Widening and Sicklerville Road Exit
The Atlantic City Expressway is also preparing for a major highway improvement project.
As I recently covered here at 42Freeway, the South Jersey Transportation Authority held a groundbreaking ceremony for its approximately $400 million widening effort.
The primary goal is to add a third travel lane in each direction along approximately 14 miles of the western portion of the Expressway, where the highway currently has only two lanes in each direction.
This includes the stretch of roadway extending from the Washington Township area toward Atlantic County.
While the larger Expressway widening effort is expected to get underway in 2027, construction has already started on one of the related improvements: the Route 42 northbound exit at Sicklerville Road in Gloucester Township.
I’ve actually covered the Expressway project twice recently, first with the groundbreaking ceremony and then with a separate article highlighting the start of construction at Sicklerville Road.
In the November 8 video linked below, I also share footage of the exit construction and offer some additional commentary.
To summarize, the existing exit from Route 42 northbound connects to Sicklerville Road at a traffic signal, where drivers can turn either left or right.
The exit improvement project will extend the two-lane configuration farther back along the exit ramp, creating more dedicated space for the two turning movements.
The left lane will primarily accommodate vehicles turning left onto Sicklerville Road, while the right lane will serve traffic turning right.
The apparent goal is to provide more room for vehicles waiting at the signal while allowing right-turning traffic to continue moving even when vehicles turning left are backed up.
During my recent visit, construction crews were actively working along the ramp, with concrete barriers installed, land clearing underway, and excavation taking place for what appears to be underground stormwater improvements.
You can read more about the Sicklerville Road construction in my separate article, but I’ve also included the footage in this latest video update.
New Jersey Turnpike Exit 3 – Major Changes Coming
The third major highway project covered in this update is the New Jersey Turnpike widening between Exits 1 and 4.
This approximately $2 billion project will add a third travel lane in each direction along the southern portion of the Turnpike, where the roadway currently has only two lanes each way.
North of Exit 4, the Turnpike already has three lanes in each direction, and farther north, the roadway expands into significantly larger configurations.
The Turnpike Authority has been discussing this widening project for some time and has established a dedicated website providing information and plans for the work.
While a 2026 construction start had previously been identified, I have not seen an official announcement confirming that the larger widening project has broken ground.
But that doesn’t mean things aren’t moving forward!
Several weeks ago, while reviewing the publicly available project documents at their website, I noticed that detailed plans for a complete reconfiguration of Exit 3 in Bellmawr had been posted online.
The proposed design would significantly change how vehicles enter and exit the Turnpike at the Black Horse Pike, replacing the existing ramp configuration with a new roadway arrangement that includes utilizing the existing traffic signal at Benigno Blvd.
I reached out with questions regarding the plans, but we hadn’t yet reached a point where I had enough clarity to put together a complete article.
Then, over the weekend, things took a significant turn.
News broke that two of the three motels located alongside the existing Turnpike Exit 3 interchange, which appear to be impacted by the new roadway design, have announced that they are closing.
Residents and guests at those properties were reportedly told they would need to relocate by November 15.
This is obviously a significant development, particularly for those who have been living at the properties.
I published a separate article over the weekend explaining the motel closures and the planned Exit 3 reconfiguration in more detail.
But since these changes are taking place just a short distance from the Direct Connection project, and because the Turnpike widening is another major highway effort expected to impact South Jersey drivers, I also wanted to include it in this November 8 video update.
It’s remarkable to consider that by 2027, we could have three major highway construction projects underway at the same time, all within a relatively small area of South Jersey!
Coming Next: Brooklawn Circles and Direct Connection Contract 4
Looking ahead to next week, I’m planning another update on the Brooklawn Circles and Bridge Rebuild projects, which is another significant highway improvement effort in our area.
I’m also hoping to have additional details from NJDOT regarding Contract 4 of the Direct Connection project, including what drivers can expect as the final major phase moves closer to construction.
For now, check out the November 8 video update below, where I share the latest drone footage of the Direct Connection flyovers, a look at the Sicklerville Road exit construction, and commentary on the major changes planned for New Jersey Turnpike Exit 3.
But all of these updates mean that likely 2027 will see all three major projects under significant development in the “42Freeway” area; I-295 Direct Connection, Atlantic City Expressway Widening and New Jersey Turnpike Widening
YouTube Video November 8
Links and Location
Direct Connection Recent Articles / Videos
- Nov 8 Video Update (42Freeway YouTube)
- Oct 20 Article and Video (42Freeway)
- 42N-to-295 Deep Dive Article and Video (42Freeway)
- First Browning Road Steel (42Freeway)
Atlantic City Expressway Widening Links
- AC Expressway Widening Official Website
- Sicklerville Road Exit (42Freeway Article)
- Groundbreaking (42Freeway Article)
